Plans, Studies and Reports

Guiding Plans & Manuals

• Dane County's Climate Action Plan
• Equity and Inclusion Plan
• Erosion Control and Stormwater Management Manual 

Parks

• Dane County Parks and Open Space Plan (Parks Division website)
• Park Master Plans (Parks Division website)

Countywide Natural Resource-based Plans

• Dane County Land & Water Resource Management Plan
• Dane County Groundwater Protection Plan (PDF)
• Dane County Water Quality Plan (CARPC website)
• Dane County Wetlands Resource Management Guide (PDF)

Lakes & Watershed Management

• Aquatic Plant Management Plans
• Dane County Lake Level Management Guide for the Yahara Chain of Lakes (PDF)
• Door Creek Watershed Management Action Plan (PDF)

Countywide Studies

• Dane County Water Recreation Study (PDF)
• Dane County Community Manure Treatment Feasibility Study (2025) (PDF)
• Dane County Community Manure Feasibility Study (2008) (PDF)

Water Resource Studies

• Survey of Rice Lake (PDF)
• Nearshore Fish Electroshocking Surveys on Lake Mendota and Lake Monona (PDF)
• Stewart Lake Water Quality Monitoring (2006) (PDF)
• Early Season 2,4-D Herbicide and Deep Harvesting Treatment Effects on Eurasian Watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) and Native Macrophytes in Turville Bay, Lake Monona (2013) (PDF)
• Sediment and Carp Dynamics in Lake Mendota’s Yahara River Estuary (2013) (PDF)
• Groundwater Recharge in Dane County, Wisconsin: Estimating Recharge Using a GIS-Based Water-Balance Model (2012) (Wisconsin Geological & Natural History Survey)

Erosion and Stormwater Studies

• Hydrologic, Ecologic, and Geomorphic Responses of Brewery Creek to Construction of a Residential Subdivision, Dane County Wisconsin, 1999-2002 (PDF)
• Thermal Impact Educational Material (PDF). 
• Quantifying Decreases in Stormwater Runoff from Deep Tilling, Chisel Plowing, and Compost-Amendment (PDF)
• Potential Water Quality Impacts of Stormwater Infiltration (PDF)
• Soil Erosion from Two Small Construction Sites, Dane County, Wisconsin (USGS)

Annual Department Summary Reports

• Land & Water Resources Department Annual Reports
• Yahara Watershed Improvement Network (WINS) Annual Reports

Other Reports

Urban Water Quality Grant

• 2023 Annual Report (PDF)

Yahara Chain of Lakes - Lake Levels Task Force

• 2018 Yahara Chain of Lakes Flooding Technical Work Group Report (PDF)
• Yahara Lake Level Recommendations - presentation slides and quarterly reports 

Fish & Crystal Lake Flooding

• 2022 Technical Workgroup Report (PDF)

Equity and Inclusion

• Dane County Parks and Henry Vilas Zoo Program Evaluation (PDF)

General

• Healthy Farms, Healthy Lakes (PDF)
• Manure Spreading Taskforce Final Report (2005) (PDF)
• Phosphorus Flows and Balances for the Lake Mendota and Yahara River Watersheds (1992-2017) (PDF)
• Reducing Increased Risk of Flooding: Recommendations of the Stormwater Technical Advisory Committee (PDF)
• USDA NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) (PDF)
• Yahara Capital Lakes Environmental Assessment and Needs (CLEAN) (PDF)
• Capital Springs Recreation Area Interpretive Planning Report (PDF)